stacey and jordan

My Husband will be the only one bringing in a income and we have 3 children. We are going over on a 136 MODL visa (hopefully). When i have looked at passed threads i get I've seen there is help for first time buyers and renting would that include us, is there our version of family allowance and i really don't understand medical insurance does it depend on what visa you have got if you want to use Medicare.

Do you have to be in the country for a while before claiming.

When will i have to tell child benefit that we are leaving the UK, as i can't remember if they pay 4 weeks in advance will i owe them.

Sorry for all the questions but we are not sure of the wages for my husband in OZ. But we think there will be a pay drop. Which is a Little frightening.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Stacey xx

Wendy

Hi Stacey

I've not looked into what you can get in Australia at all, so can't help there. But I have been in contact with the Family Allowance people and was told to ring them when I had a moving date and they would work out how much they owed up to that date and pay it to me before we went. She said to give as much notice as possible.

glennandkate

Yes there is a version of family allowance in Oz and Permanent Residents do qualify http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne...006_0602en.pdf
And as a PR you are entitled to Medicare as soon as you arrive - As far as I understand it you have to visit Centrelink and get a card

sasbear

Hi,

Yes you can claim something imilar to family allowance like said above - I didn't realise this and made a back claim recently for the last 18 months - and have just got the money.

They also take into account any rental monies paid.

Medicre covers most stuff - but I have taken out a small insurance for dental and hospital ambulance cover - as if (God hope not) you get taken to hospital by ambulance - they can charge you quite a bit - so habing this basic cover is a good idea.

Pollyana

This can vary from state to state - I only know about Qld, but here the ambulance cover is put on your electric bill so you have to pay it.

glennandkate

Electric bill How does that work out ???

Shaun&Dee

I thought you couldn't obtain benefits for at least 2 years? That way stops people moving over and living off the state for the first 2 years. I may be wrong

Nicstids

If you have kids, you can claim Family Tax benefit straightaway on arrival in Aus. There are two types A and B - B is where they will pay you rent assistance and this is means tested. Unfortunately though they take into account your UK income for the current tax year i.e. from 1st July 2005. This meant that we didn't qualify for Part B and Rent Assistance despite having bugger all income in Aus

The best time to emigrate from that point of view is shortly after 30th June when you get into the next tax year. (Waiting now with bated breath for people to accuse me of being a sponger!)

We get $44.10 every 2 weeks for one child for Family Tax Benefit part A.

Incidentally we are still getting Child Tax Benefit from the IR despite telling them til we're blue in the face that we've emigrated. I thought that the payments might stop after the new tax year in the UK but they've actually increased them

sasbear

Snap - we got payments from UK family tax benefit direct into bank even though I phoned, wrote emailed, etc and they had to know we had emigrated - I claimed back the tax I had paid on my income and also familly allowance was cancelled.

vb2

i am really confused now!! we got told we couldnt claim diddly squat for two years???
we were on 139 des area sponsored - is it different rules for different visa types? as i understand it thats what we paid our bond to centrelink for, to cover any payments we may need to make?
help please - would be useful to know
thanks
vb2

Hilton`s

[QUOTE=vb2]i am really confused now!! we got told we couldnt claim diddly squat for two years???
we were on 139 des area sponsored - is it different rules for different visa types? as i understand it thats what we paid our bond to centrelink for, to cover any payments we may need to make?
help please - would be useful to know
thanks
vb2[/QUOTE

We have been here since last Nov and got our medicare card straight away and then went to centrelink and started getting family assistance which like our family allowance. You also get help with your rent depending on what you are earning. What you can`t do is claim for the dole.

Hope this helps.

Tracey x

joho

We claimed on arrival until hubby got a job and we were paid something like $600 a fortnight. Its similar to tax credits but you have to guess your earnings. We only had it for 4 weeks though as hubby soon found a job. You cant claim oz equiv of income support or job seekers, thats whats in the 2 year period.

kiwichild

As long as it's not a lot on each bill, say a couple of dollars, then thats a great idea ! Over here in WA it's a $500 bill for an ambulance unless you are covered and many arent as I think u can no longer get the $80 a year ambulance only cover anymore

Pollyana

The Bloke reckons its something like $25 each bill (so per quarter), just pay it in with the bill.

tiredwithtwins

ah, the good ol working family tax credit!!
its good that you can claim it in arrears (the aus version that is) as here in the uk, you can only claim 3 months arrears

as i understood it, its the 'dole' and the passporting* benefits you cant claim within 2 years of getting to aus


sue

*passport benefits are the benefits you get automatically for claiming dole...similar to the uk system - not sure if thats what they are called in aus though